Machine for making blocks.



G. W. KRAMER. MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS;

'APPIHCATION FILED FEB. 23.1916.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. W. KRAMER, MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23.1'916- [42 IN vE/vro a Patented Mar. 4,1919

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MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. I916. 1 ,2961390, Patented Mar. I, 1919.

' a SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

AT 'yS Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

G. W. KRAMER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION man FEB. 23. L916.

INVENTOR. f r A5 a- TT VCS Improvements in Machines for GEORGE W. KRAMER, 0F. PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed February 23, 1916. Serial No. 80,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be is known that I, GEORGE KRAMER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Making Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making blocks, particularly cement and concrete building blocks or bricks. The principal object of this invention is the provision of a machine in which a plastic block having a water-proof face or portion may be made or molded and turned out of the machine immediately without necessitating the use of molds, boxes or similar means to retain the block until it sets.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a machine in which is utilized a face plate or false bottom on which a layer or coating of Wet mix is applied, a suitable quantity of dry mix is then tamped or otherwise compacted, the block raised upwardly to strip the same from the side walls of the mold and then turned outwardly so as to rest on the usual palette, the face plate being retained in position until the wet mix layer or coating sets.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a block making machine which includes means for raising a block some distance within the mold to strip the same and then turning the block onto its upper or lower face.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a block making machine which may be arranged to make bottom face blocks and which may also be arranged to make side face or stripper blocks. 7

Another object of this invention is the provision of a block making machine which may be arranged to make bottom face blocks with a water-proof surface, including means for stripping the blocks from the mold and turning the same over onto the top or bottom surface for delivery, and which machine may also be arranged to. make side face or stripper blocks. 7

Another object of this invention is the provision of a machine havinga mold box receiving frame and a plurality of horizontal cores with means for projecting the cores into the mold box and retracting them, said machine having means for raising the block within the box, ablock supporting and delivering frame adapted to be raised and turned by said raising means when making bottom face blocks, and means permitting the attachment of vertical cores and a mold within the mold box receiving frame for making side face or stripper blocks.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for a preferred disclosure of my invention, it being expressly understood that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a machine constructed according to my invention and adapted to carry out my new process, a block being shown being turned out of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine arranged to use horizontal cores and to form bottom face blocks, the machine being in condition to receive the cement;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, the parts being shownin the position assumed after delivering the completed block;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine, looking at Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the machine taken through the intermediate portion of the mold;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine, taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 7 is a detailed View of the gearing for withdrawing the horizontal cores;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the machine arranged as a strip ping machine or side face machine, the parts being shown in the position assumed when the block is delivered;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the machine partially arranged for use as a'stripper or side face machine, the mold box not being in position and the plungers being in their uppermost position;

Fig. 10 is a. top plan view of a mold box used in the machine when arranged as a stripper or side face machine;

Fig. 11 is an elevation thereof;

Fig. 12 is a vertical cross section through the mold box and vertical cores taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 10; u 7

Fig. 13 is a detailed view of a form of power driving connections;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a set of verticalcores, i Fig. '15 is an enlarged and detailed perspective of the guides andra-isin'g rodsor plungers, parts being shown in section; Fig. '16'is a vertical longitudinal section through the molds and other parts of the machine, arranged for use as a bottom face machine with the horizontal cores, parts being shown in elevation and other positions being indicated in dotted lines to illustrate the operation of the machine in carrying out my new process of making impermeable or water-proof blocks;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of one of the end horizontal cores showing the stripping plate connection;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of the end of the mold box and supporting and locking means therefor.

Throughout the drawings the smile characters 'of reference denote corresponding parts.

In the art of making plastic blocks, especially cement or concrete blocks, consider-- able diiiiculty is had in making blocks which are impervious to water or other fluids, the ordinary cement block being exceedingly porous and permeable. This difficulty has beenm et by the use of various waterproofing compounds and constructions and is also solved by making blocks of what is termed a wet mix, which must be permitted to set a considerable length of time before being removed from the mold. In producing water-proof blocks of these different kinds, the expense for equipment and making is considerable, making the water-proof block itself an expensive proposition.

' IVith these facts in mind, I have evolved a new machine in which water-proof blocks may be manufactured readily and quickly and at a comparatively small increase in cost over the ordinary porous plastic block.

' The machine itself embodies a number of structural features which are common to this art and to which general reference only will be made, particular mention, however, being made of the new parts and arrangements whereby the various objects of my invention are attained. v

. The numeral 1 designates the supporting means or frame on which are mounted all of the various operating parts. The mold box supporting frame is positioned in the front part of the machine and is adapted to receive the mold box for making side face or stripper blocks and also the parts which c0111- prise the mold box for making the bottom face and waterproof blocks. It includes the front'members 5, the side members 2 which are pivoted to the frame, as at 3, and which extend upwardly,hav ng the continuous ribs or lugs l on the inner surface thereof. The

rear wall of. this mold box supporting frame is formed by means of the plate members 7,

- which are secured to part of the mainframe and whichare provided with the oval shaped openings'8 therethrdugh to permit the passage of the horizontal cores. These cores 9 are of the usualoval or'oblon'g shape in cross-section and are connected to the operating rods 10 which are'slidably mounted in the-bearings 11 formed in the cross piece 12 which is secured to the upper ends of the brace members '13. The end cores are of peculiar shape as shown in detail in Fig. 17 and in section in Fig. 5, being designated by the reference character 14:. They are of half oval construction and have the flat stripping plate or member 15 connected thereto. The means for operating these cores will be described presently. Mounted in the frame 1 beneath the mold box supporting frame are the guiding members 16, these being placed on opposite sides of the machine and'extending vertically, receiving the raising rods or plungers'l'z" which are adapted to be moved vertically therein. These rods or plungers '17 are connected together so as to operate in unison by means of a connecting yoke 18, whiclihas its end portions 19 formed so as to embrace the rods or plungers 17 being secured thereto by means of bolts 20. These end portions 19 -are preferably made separate from the yoke and are connected thereto by means of bolts 21. The yoke 18 is provided with the pedal member 22 for returning the parts to their lower position in case they, stick. The yoke is also provided near each end with an aperture 23 which loosely receives the chain or other flexible connection 24, the chain being endless and passing through both apertures and secured to the operating shaft 25. This shaft is journaled in the frame and has the sprocket wheel 26 whereby it may be driven from shaft 27 by means of chain 28 and sprocket 29. This shaft 27' may be driven manually by means of the lever or crank 30 having the pawl and ratchet connection 31 but'is preferably driven by means -of power as indicated in Fig. 13. This shaft 27 'is j'ournaled in the rear portion of the main frame and is adapted by means of connections to withdraw'the horizontal cores 9. Theseconnections include the rocking lever '32 pivoted at its lower end to the frame as at 33 and having its upper end portion pro- ;vided with two arms 3%, each of which is forked as at 35'to embrace the transversely extending member 36 which has the sleeve portions 37 secured to the operating rods 10 of the horizontal cores As it is necessary to withdraw the-horizontal cores before the upward movement of the raising rods or plungers, I provide the particular gear connection shown in Fig. 7,

which includes the pinion 38 secured to shaft 27 which, as shown, extends through i the curved slot 39 in the rocking lever 32, this pinion 38 being adapted to mesh with the segmental and .curved rack member 40.. It is to be noted that the rack member 40 extends only for substantially one-half of the path of movement of the lever 32 relative to the shaft 27, and that when the lever 32 is moved so that the pinion 38 does not mesh with the rack 40, there. is no positive connection for driving or moving the lever 32. Sufficient slack is provided in the chain or flexible means 24 so that when the power is applied to operate the shaft 27, the parts being in the position shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 16, the slack only will be wound on the shaft 25 during which time the operating rods 10 of the horizontal cores will be positively withdrawn, due to the rearward movement of. the lever 32 on its pivot caused by the engagement of the pinion 38 with rack 40. The rack is of sufficient extent so as to completely withdraw the horizontal cores and when this is done, the chain or flexible connection 24 tightens and begins to cause the upward movement of the plungers or rods 17. t y

The horizontal cores are preferably moved into position within the molds by means of the foot operated lever or treadle 41 pivoted at 42 to the lower part of the frame and having the right angled extending operating arm 43 which is provided with the notches 44 which are adapted to engage the stop 45 on the lower portion of lever 32. The resilient means 46-is provided for normally holding the lever or treadle 41 in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When it is desired to move the horizontal cores into position within the mold, the lever 41 is operated which moves the lever 32 forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 6, thereby moving the horizontal cores into the mold and also bringing the pinion 38 into engagement with the rack 40 so that whenthe shaft 27 is operated, the lever 32 will be moved rearwardly towithdraw the cores as above described. 1

When using the machine to make bottom faced blocks, the mold includes the following members or parts. The sides of the mold are formed by the side members 47 which fit the lugs 4 on the side members of the mold box supporting frame, as shown. The rear face of the mold is formed by the plate member 7 and the front face of the mold is formed by the usual palette member 48. The bottom face of the mold is formed by the face or bottom plate 49. The palette 48 and the face of bottom plate 49 are positioned on the block supporting and deliver- I operation of the ing frame 50. This frame is substantially L-shaped in cross section, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 6, and 16, and is of open construction, having the spaced horizontally extending bottom members 51 to which the raising rods or. plungers 17 are pivotally connected, as at 52. The face or bottom plate 49 is supported in this frame 50 by means of a false bottom 53, which is adjustable on the vertical or front members 54 of frame '50 and having the spacing and supporting members 55 for holding it in proper position relative to the bottom members 51 of frame 50. This obviously provides means for varying the width of the block. The vertical or front members of frame 50 are provided with the inclined cut out portions 56 to receive the downwardly sliding wedge member 57, slots 58 and bolts 59 providing the necessary loose connection. It is against these members that the palette 48 is placed, the wedge member 57 securely holding it in place against the side edges of the side members 47 of the mold. The complete mold is therefore formed by the rear plates 7, the side members 47, the face or bottom plate 49 and a palette, the last two mentioned elements being supported in the frame 50 which frame is adapted to be moved by means of the rods or plungers 7.

It is to be noted that the shaft or bar 60 extends across the front of the machine being supported by the upwardly extending members 61 of the frame and having the roller members 62 mounted thereon and against which the vertical or front members of frame 50 fit, the rollers having the flange 61 to engage the outside of frame 50 for proper guiding during its movement. The

bled, will now be described.

The face plate 49 is placed in position, the horizontal cores 9 projected within the mold and the palette being in position, a suitable supply of cement is discharged into the mold and then tamped, if necessary. Power is applied to shaft 27 which withdraws the cores 9. It will be recalled that the end cores have the stripping plate portions 15, so that the upper portions of the end faces of the block when in the machine, are stripped. WVhen the cores are withdrawn the raising rods or plungers 17 start their upward movement. This forces the frame 50 upwardly, due to the rollers 60 against which the front of the frame engages and the rear plates 7 against which the rear edge of the frame 50 engages. This upward movement will strip the rear face and the side faces of the block as it lies within the machine, and continues for a sufiicient distance to accomplish this purpose. WVhen this is done, the weight of the frame 50 with its block, causes the frame to turn outwardly, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 16, it

machine when thus assembeing noted that the pivotal connection 52 of the raising rods or plungers is to the rear of the middle of the bottom portion of the frame 50, so that the frame will be positively tilted to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 16. The block then restson the palette upon which it is carried away, the face plate 49 remaining in position also. In order to mold another block it is only necessary to place another face or bottom plate and palette in position.

It will be understood that if it is desired to make a rock face or granite face on the block, that a layer of suitable material will be adhesively secured on the face or bottom plate L9. At any rate, assuming that the parts are in their assembled position, a-layer of wet mix or slush is poured into the mold and adheres either to the face plate or to the material thereon. The rest of the material for the body of the block, which may be dry mix is discharged intothe mold and if necessary, tamped. The cores are then withdrawn and the block stripped from the walls of the mold due to the up ward movement of the blocksnpporting and delivering frame 50, the block is then turned over so as to reston the palette, the bottom or face plate remaining in position to hold the face portion of the block in form. The block is-then taken away and allowed to dry, after which the bottom or face plate may be removed leaving the waterproof surface of the block.

It isseen that by this machine water-proof blocks may be formed withoutthe necessity of utilizing separate molds for each block and without the necessity of utilizing waterproof compounds of any sort. The saturated portion of the cement when dry is completely impervious to moisture and therefore protects the body of the. block therefrom. The operation or method of manufacturing these blocks is simple and may be carried out expeditiously. It only requires the use of additional face or bottom plates in addition to the ordinary equipment, so

that the increase in outlay for manufacturing the water-proof block is nominal.

As stated hereinbefore, this machine is also adapted to manufacture the ordinary side face or stripper block and may be arranged for that purpose in a very short space of time by the removal of the block supporting and delivering frame 50 and the side members 47, it being understood of course, that the horizontal cores 9 are withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 3.

In making this change it is only necessary to install an ordinary form of mold box 62*, see Figs. 10, 11 and 12, which has the grooves 63 in the side members thereof which are adapted to fit the lugs 4 on the side members of the mold-box supporting frame, the lips or lugs 64: resting on top thereof so as to support the mold box. In addition, the plunger heads'65 are placed on top of the'rOdsorplungers 17 said plunger heads-having the extended bearingsurface 66 which is adapted to engage and support the usual palette 67. The. set of vertical cores 68 are secured on the supportingmember 69 which is attached to thetransverse members 70; of the main frame. These members also'serve as stops or' abutments against which the' lower edges 71 of the plunger-lieadfio engage to limit the-ir downward movement.

The machine in this form isoperated in the same fashion" as other stripper block machines, the palette being placed on the plunger heads--65 and a supply of a plastic material discharged into the mold box and tampcd, if necessary. Shaft 25' is then connected to power whereby the-plungers or rods 17 are raised, forcing-the paletteand block upwardly and stripping the block from thewalls of the mold andsurface of the cores. The block is-carried away for drying. In order tohold the block in its uppermost position until removed, I' provide the'ratchet whee-L72 on shaft 25, havin-g ratchet 7 It is-to beunderstood that in using the term water-proof throughout the specifi cation and claims, I have reference to ordinary conditions to which blocks or bricks of this character are subjected. In other words, it is my purpose to provide a practical] water-proof blockunder normal conditions,- without the use of water-proof'compounds and by the use merely, of poured cement or slush.-

It is therefore seen that the changing of'the machine to make one form-of block or the other, is a very simple matter, requiring the removal and substitution of few parts. This isof material importance in this-art as-it results in the furnishing of two machines in one. Furthermore; the provision of themachine for making waterproof blocks according to the newmethod disclosed h'erein is' a manifest advance in the artof plastic blookmaking.

\Vhat I claimris:

1. In'comb ination in a-machine of the character described, a main frame, a mold box supporting frame adaptedto receive a mold, a plurality of cores movably mounted in said frame, means for projecting and retracting said cores into the mold and means for moving the block-within the mold to strip the blocktherefrom, said stripping means being operated after the retraction of the coresfrom the mold, said core operating means including a lever having a gear segment secured thereto, a power shaft having a pinion thereon, adapted to mesh with said gear segment when the coresare in their projected position and to disengage said gear segment when the cores are in their retracted position, and means for moving the cores into their projected position.

2. In combination in a machine of the character described, a main frame, a mold box supporting frame adapted to receive a mold, a plurality of cores adapted to be projected and retracted from the mold, means for moving said cores including a shaft, a lever having connections with said cores, said lever having a gear segment, a pinion on the shaft adapted to mesh with the segment When the cores are in their projected position and to withdraw the cores when the shaft is operated, the pinion being adapted to be out of mesh with the segment when the core are in their retracted position, and means for moving the cores into their projected position, means for moving copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the the block within the mold to strip the same, including a plurality of plungers, a shaft and a flexible connection between the shaft and the plungers, said shaft being adapted to be operated from the same source of power and said flexible connection having suflieient slack so that the cores will be completely withdrawn before the stripping means is moved.

3. In combination in a machine of the character described, a main frame, a mold box supporting frame adapted to receive a mold, a plurality of cores adapted to be projected within and retracted from the mold, certain of the cores having stripping plates covering a considerable portion of the sides of the mold, means for projecting and vretracting said cores and means for stripping the block from the mold.

GEORGE W. KRAMER.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

